By Martin Cole-
A former Nigerian governor’s ministry paid over ₦4.6 billion into personal accounts of directors, staff in four months, in what is being viewed as dodgy dealings.
A Freedom Of Information Request by a national newspaper in Nigeria revealed that between September and December 2019, ₦4.6 billion was illegally paid into the private accounts of some directors and employees of the then ministry of power.
In response to an FOI request by the Nigerian PREMIUM TIMES, the power ministry claimed that only N157 million was paid to 127 staff members within the period under review, records have proven the ministry’s claim to be untrue.
Fashola was once a celebrated governor of Lagos State, hailed as a fresh face bringing change and progress to the former capital of Nigeria. Fashola served two terms as Governor of Lagos State from May 29, 2007 to May 29,
However, the recent revelations threaten to tarnish the credibility of the qualified lawyer. The ministry of power now led by Saleh Mamman, was formerly headed by the generally respected Fashola.
According to their records, some obtained from the Open Treasury Portal, show that the sum of N4.6 billion (exactly ₦4,608,394,262.22) was paid in 654 tranches into the accounts of 21 private individual accounts. Two-thirds of that amount went to two men: Ogueri Ugochukwu Pascal and Olasehinde Micah.
Yusuf Akinpelu from the Nigerian PREMUIM TIMES, told The Eye Of Media.Com that their news organisation were aware of malpractices by the administration.
”A couple of reports, especially by transparency advocates, have shown that it has been the culture of the agencies of government to pay into private accounts as against the financial regulation of the country, and this was corroborated by officials in the nation’s treasury house.
So we dug and obtained the data of the payments in the past months. So we wrote the culpable agencies for explanation. Only one responded, power ministry”.
The paper revealed that while Mr Pascal was paid ₦1.6 billion (₦1,642,407,539.93) in 306 tranches, Mr Micah was paid ₦1.4 billion (₦1,417,921,892.59) in 34 tranches.
The payment by Fashola’s ministry of over ₦4.6 billion into personal accounts of directors, staff in four months
Freedom Of Information
A Freedom Of Information Request by a national newspaper in Nigeria revealed that between September and December 2019, a princely ₦4.6 billion was illegally paid into the private accounts of some directors and employees of the then ministry of power, works and housing, data obtained by PREMIUM TIMES have shown.
The power ministry, in response to an FOI request by the PREMIUM TIMES claimed that only N157 million was paid to 127 staff members within the period under review, records have proven the ministry’s claim to be untrue.
Fresh
Fashola was once a celebrated governor of Lagos State, hailed as a fresh face bringing change and progress to the former capital of Nigeria. However, the recent revelations threaten to tarnish the credibility of the qualified lawyer
The ministry of power now led by Saleh Mamman, but at the time the allocation for the payments was made in 2019, the omnibus ministry of works, power and housing was headed by Babatunde Fashola.
Many of the records obtained from the Open Treasury Portal revealed that the sum of N4.6 billion (exactly ₦4,608,394,262.22) was paid in 654 tranches into the accounts of 21 private individual accounts. Two-thirds of that amount went to two men: Ogueri Ugochukwu Pascal and Olasehinde Micah.
While Mr Pascal was paid ₦1.6 billion (₦1,642,407,539.93) in 306 tranches, Mr Micah was paid ₦1.4 billion (₦1,417,921,892.59) in 34 tranches.
A striking example is contained in the data published on the open treasury portal on October 26, last year. Mr Pascal was paid a total of ₦159 million for such things as “zonal revenue tour,” “disbursement of funds for right of way,” “verification exercise,” “quarterly budget implementation,” each in the six geopolitical zones, as well as to conduct the “2019 senior staff promotion exercise,” and for “junior staff promotion in the housing sector.
Zonal Revenue Tour
A striking example is contained in the data published on the open treasury portal on October 26, last year. Mr Pascal was paid a total of ₦159 million for things like “zonal revenue tour,” “disbursement of funds for right of way,” “verification exercise,” “quarterly budget implementation,” each in the six geopolitical zones, as well as to conduct the “2019 senior staff promotion exercise,” and for “junior staff promotion in the housing sector
No Response
The PREMIUM TIMES told this publication that Mr Fashola has not responded to its findings, adding that its aide directed all comments to the ministry of power, which he headed in his first term as minister. Mr. Akinpelu said the ministry has now been split into the ministry of power and the ministry of works and housing.
”On the impact our findings would have on him, it is expected to be same impact previously acclaimed good works of his have had on his reputation.
When he, as the head of a ministry achieves a feat, he gets the praise; so when his ministry is found wanting, he should get the sticks too. We may not achieve a complete halt to the financial leakages we uncovered in the story, but we certainly are sure that we will achieve a drop in the rate.
Because it is public knowledge now that officials are fritting away public funds under the guise of vague allowances, we can be sure government agencies have been checkmated and they will take caution henceforth.
Meanwhile, we are not ending it here. We will continue to mount the pressure and continue running this series, Authority Stealing”.